Addesa Family Update, Janurary 2008

The holidays were great around our household. Yes… the Christmas trees and lights are still up and running (the Addesa ladies are diehards when it comes to ChristmasJ). Some Noah Notables to start the New Year. Unlike my former home in the Buffalo area, winter around Va. Beach proves to be somewhat transient. We will typically have a few brisk days (though the natives will say “really cold”) and then the temps will ease back up in the 50’s and 60’s. Lisa & I take Noah out for walks on those days. Earlier this week we were strolling around the lake and with out provocation Noah did something really neat. Context is important here.

While in his chair, Noah’s (notice the first photo) his head is usually slightly reclined and resting in the headrest. Noah in this scene is watching TV. The second picture is a moment we lifted his head off the rest and asked him to hold his head up and as you can see, his upper body posture is erect and he holds his head upright. That dynamic has become more frequent of late however we have not seen it occur “spontaneously”. Back to my narrative: while we were walking him around the lake all of a sudden he lifted his head off the rest and started to look around and beneath his chair. Lisa and I did our Noah cheer! It was another present he unwrapped for us.

Next was actually today. The PT & OT ladies have been off since the holidays and today they were engaging Noah to stand upright (outside the hydraulic stander). However, once again he showed that he is taking ownership of this process. Usually without use of the stander it takes three people to coordinate him standing in an upright position. Today it only took two. The therapists said this is very significant. Then to cap it off, Noah usually starts to try to sit back down in a sitting position. Today not only did he not do that, but when his buttocks started to recline Noah engaged his gluteus maximus muscles and pushed himself back to an erect position. In addition, he kept his head erect. According to his therapists, today was a breakthrough day. We rejoiced!

Finally Noah’s vocalizations are becoming more frequent and intense. Though he hasn’t formed syllables yet, he is relentless in his efforts to talk.

Please take a moment and mediate on the words of Jesus. John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." Did you notice the word I highlighted and underlined? He did not say “if my twelve believe me” or “if the pastors believe me” or "if the deacons believe me”… He said "anyone" who believes in me greater works than these will he do. This is a staggering truth to ponder. In simple layman’s terms He was saying this: “If you think the miracles I did were amazing, the works that you will do will supercede them.”

Once again He reminds us that we have the potential to become agents of The Kingdom of God here and now. That is not just biblical theology; it is intended to be walked out by faith for all who believe what He said. This promise from Jesus comes to us not simply to teach, but rather to decide what we are going to do with it. As for me and my house, we are looking for 2008 to be a year of “greater works” in Noah’s life, in our family and in our church. May I challenge you to adopt that vision
as well? There is nothing like it this side of Heaven. Till next week. Love…david

Last Updated: Jan 4, 2008 at 3:50pm
Next update will be posted Jan 11, 2008 by 4:00pm

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Pastor David is out of town and will be unable to send an update. Check back next Friday for updated information! Thank you for your continued prayers for Noah and the Addesa family.

Last Updated: Jan 11, 2008 at 4:50pm
Next update will be posted Jan 18, 2008 by 4:00pm


My apologies for the two week gap, I was in British Columbia last week and not able to interact with Noah’s rehab therapists. Along with the different time zones and conference schedule, I was unable to make it happen.
As I was listening to Lisa & the therapists highlight Noah’s progress for the week, this verse came to mind: Isaiah 28: 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” Their remarks to me about Noah are as follows: “Noah is learning what he needs to do with his trunk for balance. He is getting stronger. He is keeping his balance better while sitting. He is also doing better with his head control.”

From the non-clinical view of a dad who enjoys just being with him, I have watched Noah become more engaged with people he loves and is in relationship with. One of Noah’s friends who lives up the street comes over almost every day and interacts with Noah. He is an “apprentice” viola player and brought his instrument over to play for Noah. I watched Noah smile and show pleasure in his friend’s courage to play as he did.
The Addesa ladies continue to be catalysts of an ever-increasing expression of joy through his laughter.

On the mystical side of things, it is my deep conviction that the Church is in an era that Peter inaugurated on the day of Pentecost. He said: Acts 2: 17 ‘ And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. At age fifty-five, I acknowledge being in the latter category of the Spirit’s promise for this era, which leads me to my “dreaming dreams” reality. I am not prone to remembering dreams. However, in the last two days I have had two vivid dreams where Noah is walking and in one instance attempting to run across the room. Some may be prone to dismiss things like this as a “ bad pizza” night (indigestion leading to weird dreams). Regardless, I am compelled in my heart of hearts to simply acknowledge by faith that He has given to me a video trailer of the future of Noah’s ongoing journey. I receive it as such and mark it as His personal promise to us. HE is good….all the time. Love…david

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Last Updated: Jan 18, 2008 at 3:24pm
Next update will be posted Jan 25, 2008 by 4:00pm

Sometimes it’s good to remember. I was sitting with Lisa and Noah last evening and Lisa was doing his twice a day stretching for his hands, legs, and arms. She had his right hand in hers and was moving it in a “curling “ motion up and down. Out of nowhere Lisa looked at Noah with delight in her eyes and said: “ Noah…Miss Sue would have flipped if she saw how easily you allow me to move your arms now”. Sue was Noah’s Occupational Therapist up at UVA Kluge. It took the better part of her thirty-minute sessions just to try and get his arms extended. Lisa has him doing it very fluidly now.
About two months ago I was flying somewhere and I noticed in the airline-shopping magazine a “mini-bike” that could be placed under your desk and one could literally pedal your feet while doing deskwork.
I showed it to Lisa and we decided to buy one for Noah so he could do it while in his wheel chair.

Because of his dystonia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystonia) I put the link here in case you don’t know what that is) our first few attempts at getting Noah’s feet and legs to cooperate with a “bicycle motion” where difficult to say the least. It took two of us (one for each foot) to literally hold one foot in the stirrups and then try to get his legs to pedal. On Wednesday evening past I heard one of those (classic) loud…somewhat shrill Addesa women’s shrieks only to find out that Lisa was overjoyed that Noah was much improved. She said: “ David….remember it used to take two of us to get Noah’s legs to cooperate with the bicycle?” “Well I just did it alone with him and he knows what to do” “ His feet stayed in the stirrups and his legs allowed me to pedal with him”.

This morning I debriefed with his two PT & OT Therapists and the following notes are from their insurance charts: “ Noah’s trunk support continues to improve. While sitting in an upright posture with respect to holding his shoulders back (as opposed to slumping over) he is noticeably better.” “ We stood him up again this week and it only required one person to stabilize him”. (It used to take three). “ When we engage him on the large exercise ball with him leaning forward with his chest on the ball, he no longer waits for us to prompt him to sit back up. He initiates it by himself. “ He can go about 90% back to a normal sitting position without help”.

While I was writing this update I was reflecting on the word “ remember” in the Bible. It is one of the most important words in that amazing book. God remembers our sin no more when we choose to trust His Son with our lives. It is as if we had never sinned at all. Knowing that, gives me a stalwart attitude about my present and my future. And it does one other thing that the psalmist wrote more eloquently than I could when he said:
Psalm 20: 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Sometimes it’s really good to remember. Until next week….my love to you all. david
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Last Updated: Jan 25, 2008 at 4:15pm
Next update will be posted Feb 1, 2008 by 4:00pm

It’s almost 1:00PM Friday afternoon and I must confess I had a week of activities and meetings that caught up with me and diverted my attention away from my weekly debrief with Noah’s Rehab therapists. Since that did not happen I will defer to next week for more precise feedback. I do apologize. My goal is to reflect a clinical update from them beyond the anecdotal things that occur each week. I hope you forgive me. Noah had a good week. We “feel” the prayers of many who continue to intercede for him. Please continue. I will resume a more detail report next week. In the mean time, the Addesa’s send their love and appreciation to all of you who follow this update.

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Last Updated: Feb 1, 2008 at 3:49pm
Next update will be posted Feb 8, 2008 by 4:00pm